The cattleraid of cualnge tain bo cuailnge translated from leabhar na huidhri and the yellow book of lecan by l. The tain, also known as tain bo cuailnge or the cattle raid of cooley, is a heroic and legendary tale from early irish literature. Thomas kinsella is one of the most important irish poets to emerge since the end of world war ii. Widely acknowledged as the great irish livre dartiste of the twentieth century, seamus heaney writes in the listener. Oxford university press, 1969 2 fortunately for madb and her. It tells the story of a giant cattleraid, the invasion of ulster by the armies of medb and ailill, queen and king of connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great brown bull of cuailnge. The project gutenberg ebook of tain bo cualnge, by joseph. By means of a restlessly experimental formal and aesthetic sense, broadly conceived themes, and. Ive read this version many times and still get caught up in the language. The tain by thomas kinsella, 9780192803733, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. There is no canonical tain, but several sources and recensions from several anonymous authors written in different styles. Representations of women in the poetry of thomas kinsella. Thomas kinsella 1928 irish poet, translator, essayist, and editor. The tale was composed in prose with verse passages in the 7th and 8th centuries.
His translation is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts, with elements from other versions, and adds a group of related stories which prepare for the action of the tain. Its written in an accessible style, but keeps the strange beauty of the myth. Kinsella s tain is the gold standard of epic irish poetry. The story tells the tale of a grand cattleraid, the aim of which is to carry off the great brown bull of cuailnge. The tain bo cuailnge, centrepiece of the eighthcentury ulster cycle of heroic tales, is irelands nearest approach to a great epic. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Pdf an edition of thomas kinsellas translation of tain bo cuailnge was published by oxford university press in 1970 1st ed. Bo cuailnge by thomas kinsella, with ink brush drawings by the irish painter. In the tain, the reader learns a good deal about the culture of the time and is introduced to many of the most famous figures from the ancient celtic pantheon.
The cattleraid of cooley tain bo cualnge is the central epic of the ulster cycle. To which are added the ancient prologues, prefaces, and the pretales or stories, adventures which preceded the principal expedition or tain, from various vellum mss. Thomas kinsella presents a complete and living version of the story. This ninth dolmen edition is an irish equivalent of the livre dartiste. Kinsella s aim, as he said vigorously in his introduction, was to produce a relatively coherent, readable modern version. Thomas kinsella s translation is the first attempt to present a living. In addition to the tain, kinsella s other critically acknowledged work of translation is an duanaire. It tells the story of a great cattleraid, the invasion of ulster by the armies of. The tain bo cuailnge, centerpiece of the eighthcentury ulster cycle of heroic tales, is irelands greatest epic. It tells the story of a great cattleraid, the invasion of ulster by the armies of medb and ailill, queen and king of connacht, and their allies, seeking to.
Set in a rural, tribal and pagan ireland, it is peopled with fearless warriors, haughty queens and kings and prize bulls cover photo. Sometimes heroic seems the wrong word for much of the worlds ancient. The tain by thomas kinsella and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. Kinsella also offers a brief introduction to the tain itself and places the various pre tales he includes in context. Winifred faraday in parentheses publications medieval irish series cambridge, ontario 2002. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Queen medb of connaught gathers an army in order to gain possession of.
Bookcover of the thomas kinsella translated and louis le brocquy illustrated, the tain bookcover of the thomas kinsella translated edition, of the tain 1970. Map entitled in conaille and cuailnge from the 2 nd edition of thomas kinsella s tain 1970, map iii. The book is illustrated lavishly and magnificently by louis le brocquy. It tells the story of a great cattleraid, the invasion of ulster by the armies of medb and ailill, queen and king of connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great brown bull of cuailnge. A beautiful rigour kinsella s tain transmits something of the austerity of the irish, prickly and black as the contorted balckthorn bush, with its sudden. Kinsella makes note of where he has turned to an alternate version from another manuscript, and adds contextual notes to assist in trying to create a narrative in the modern sense from a collection of loosely connected tales. The tain bo cuailnge, centrepiece of the eighthcentury ulster cycle of heroic tales, is irelands greatest epic. The cattle raid of cooley gaelic literature britannica.
Pdf the tain bo cuailnge and the role of women in celtic. In particular, reading the tain shows us a great deal about the role of women in ancient. The tain translated from the irish epic tain bo cuailnge by thomas kinsella with brush drawings by louis le brocquy madison street madison, wi 537061494 published in association with the dolmen press, dublin oxford university press london new york 1970. Earliest manuscripts of this epic story survive from the 12th century and versions of this ancient tale have been found in old irish, middle irish, and modern irish translations. The tain from the irish epic tain bo cuailnge by thomas kinsella, louis le brocquy and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Choice of reading material varies according to instructors preference. In kinsellas tain, the wise warrior scathach instructs her daughter, on. Poems of the dispossessed, an anthology of one hundred irish poems, with the gaelic version on one. This edition includes a group of related stories which prepare for the action of the tain along with brush drawings by louis le brocquy. The following entry presents an overview of kinsella s career through 1999. The illustrations on the bookcover are by louis le brocquy.
The hero of the tale is cuchulainn, the hound of ulster, who resists the. After youve bought this ebook, you can choose to download either the pdf version or the epub, or both. Cuailnge, centerpiece of the eighthcentury ulster cycle of heroic tales, is irelands greatest epic. Ciaran carson succeeds in translating the tain in a manner that it becomes an epic and understand why cu chulainn is a legendary hero to these people. It tells the story of a great cattleraid, the invasion of ulster by the armies of medb and ailill, queen and king of connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great. The tain edition 1 by thomas kinsella 9780192803733. The tain translated by thomas kinsella ask about ireland.